Home Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday reiterated that the country’s governance will remain firmly rooted in the Constitution, while also honouring commitments made under the historic July National Charter.
He made the remarks while speaking in the Jatiya Sangsad in response to comments made earlier by the Leader of the Opposition and Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Shafiqur Rahman, regarding constitutional and legislative reforms in line with the July National Charter.
Addressing the House, Salahuddin Ahmed emphasised that the Constitution remains the supreme law of the land and that all state activities must be carried out within its framework.
According to him, governance cannot be driven by emotions but must follow established laws, procedures and institutional rules.
The minister said that even the commitments outlined in the July National Charter must be implemented through proper constitutional and legal channels.
He pointed out that the Rules of Procedure of Parliament already provide mechanisms for raising urgent issues of public importance, and any proposals or discussions related to reforms should follow those established procedures.
Referring to constitutional provisions, he noted that the President can promulgate ordinances only when parliament is not in session, as stated in Article 93 of the Constitution.
However, he made it clear that the Constitution itself cannot be amended through an ordinance.
Salahuddin described the July National Charter as a landmark political document achieved through broad political consensus and noted that a referendum had been conducted to gather public opinion on the matter. Still, he stressed that if any constitutional changes are required to implement the charter, those amendments must be approved by parliament.
He also mentioned that 133 ordinances issued during the tenure of the interim government have already been placed before parliament and must be reviewed and decided upon within the specified timeframe.
The home minister suggested that the Business Advisory Committee could determine when a constitutional amendment bill should be introduced in the House.
He said, “We respect the commitments made in the July National Charter and remain determined to fulfil them. However, any change to the Constitution must follow the constitutional process.”
He added that amendments made through parliamentary discussion and consensus would ultimately strengthen democratic governance and the rule of law in the country.
Concluding his speech, Salahuddin Ahmed reaffirmed that Bangladesh has progressed by adhering to the Constitution and will continue to do so in the future.
.jpg "Bangladesh records 4 more measles-related deaths in past 24 hours")
